Autumn Caesar Salad and Other Elevated Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Good morning! Today Cindy, Annie, and I have invited three friends to share their best Thanksgiving side dishes with us. I’m sharing my Autumn Caesar Salad with kale, pomegranate and pumpkins seeds, and home-made croutons.
But first, let me show you our simple Thanksgiving table in San Francisco. It’s small with just our immediate family. My mom has been in and out of the hospital in San Diego with serious complications from her broken hip surgery. It’s touch and go day to day and really hard on her and my sister, Teresa.
So, for Thanksgiving, we thought we should avoid a lot of commotion around my mom. She will have my brother and sister with her though. And I am going down to San Diego on Monday to spend some time with her. It’s better that she is home. I’m getting another Covid test before I see her.
Simple Thanksgiving Table Setting
Let’s count our blessings during this tough time!
Autumn Caesar Salad with Kale, Pomegranate, Pumpkin Seeds, Home-made Croutons
You can use grated or shaved parmesan cheese (we do it both ways) and delete or replace the seeds with pinenuts or sunflower seeds. I like the pumpkin spiced pumpkin seeds at Trader Joe’s but they don’t ways have them in stock.
Kale Caesar Salad With Pomegranate and Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients
Toasted Homemade Croutons
- 2 to 3 cups cubed french bread
- drizzle olive oil
- sprinkle sea salt and pepper
Caesar Salad Dressing
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (1/4 for the dressing and 1/4 cup to sprinkle on the salad)
- 1 juice and zest lemon
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 anchovy fillets (if desired)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 pinch Kosher salt
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 cloves chopped garlic
salad greens
- 1 package baby kale or kale with tough stems removed and chopped
- 1/4 cup spiced or roasted pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the bread cubes in the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in oven until toasted golden brown about 10 minutes...but keep an eye on it!
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine 1/4 cup Parmigiano, lemon zest and juice, garlic, the Dijon, anchovies, and Worcestershire. Puree until the mixture is smooth, 15 to 20 seconds. With the machine running, add 1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil through the feed tube. Let the processor continue to run for another 10 to 15 seconds. Taste and season with salt if needed.
- In a large bowl, toss the kale with the croutons, pumpkin and pomegranate seeds, and two-thirds of the dressing or more if necessary. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
I simply placed mums, chamomile, and eucalyptus from the grocery store in our everyday tumbler glasses. They are low arrangements so you can see over them.
Linen Napkins • Wicker placemats (different shades)• Blue Table runner (on major sale)• White swirl glasses (on clearance)
The white plates are old…purchased on vacation in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
That’s my Autumn Caesar Salad let’s get motivated to make these other delicious side dishes!
Kale Caesar Salad with Pomegranate Seeds ~ Classic Casual Home
Corn Bread Stuffing with Andouille Sausage and Peppers ~ Cindy Hattersley
Roasted Fall Vegetable Salad ~ CatwithaK Cooks
Wild Rice With Cranberry and Pecan ~ Pinecones and Acorns
Cheesy Herbed Potato Stacks ~ Sheri Silver
Mini Pumpkin Pies With Specaloos Crust ~ Most Lovely Things
Mary Ann, Your table decor is so beautiful and simple. Thank you for the inspo! I picked up those napkins at Anthro and would also like to order the West Elm table runner you have. Is it the moonstone + black or the black + stone one you have? If moonstone, it is blue? (I’m looking to pull out the grayish brown color in the napkins.)
I got the moonstone and black and it pulls out the blue-grey in the napkins but I think you could get the other one for a more neutral look, Lori.
We will try some of these delicious sides for our Thanksgiving meal this year. Hope things go well for your sweet mom. Hugs and prayers to you, Mary Ann.
Thanks, Jackie!!
Mary Ann I tried your fall Cesar salad this weekend it was a big hit and goes perfectly with my apricot
Curry pork tenderloin recipe five stars for sure !
Your table is beautiful I love white pumpkins , my children love our antique ”turkey china“ but
You inspired me to try something different.
Mary Ann, thank you all for the recipes for these wonderful fall side dishes. They made me anxious for Thanksgiving even though we’re staying home alone!
Hope all is good with you and yours.
LOVE a good Ceasar salad! I mean, CHEESE!!!! And your table looks lovely too! Thank you for including me in this fun “menu”! xo
I need another kale salad! I love the fact that it stays fresh on day two. What other green does that? I can’t wait to try this and your table as usual looks gorgeous!
Maryann, your table looks beautiful! I love the little flower arrangements and the mini pumpkins. And the salad, I would never have thought to have a ceasar salad, now I am adding this to my dinner menu! As it will only be my husband and I we are going to make small amounts of several of our favorite dishes